Soft or hard pillows might be comfortable in the moment, but are not ideal for hours of use. A pillow with medium strength support is typically recommended. There are a plethora of pillows out there from down to memory foam. If your sleep position causes further compression, this may aggravate symptoms even more. Is thoracic outlet syndrome worse at night? Thoracic outlet syndrome may be worse at night, depending on your activity throughout the day.

If you sleep on your stomach with your arms on either side of your head, that means roughly 8 hours of extra compression to the brachial plexus. Consider the position of your arms while you sleep. Symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome may worsen with poor sleep posture. Poor alignment can lead to neck and back aches, balance issues, and excessive fatigue. It also enables flexibility and range of motion. This curvature allows for proper weight distribution throughout the body. The spine’s natural shape looks like the letter s from the side. Good sleep posture ensures that the spine is aligned from the lumbar spine (lower back) through the thoracic spine (upper body) to the cervical spine (neck). Sleeping posture directly affects sleep quality. Since we spend about ⅓ of our lives sleeping, quality of sleep can significantly impact our health. Finding the optimal sleep position could be the solution. If you have TOS and have been suffering from loss of sleep, your sleeping position is worth considering. TOS can develop as a result of injury, poor posture, or a congenital defect. Neck pain, shoulder pain, and back painīecause these symptoms overlap with other conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, a pinched nerve, or pectoralis minor syndrome, sometimes TOS can be difficult to diagnose.It is the rarest form of TOS, affecting 1% of cases but it is the most serious form of TOS.

Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome: The subclavian artery becomes compressed by abnormalities like an extra rib known as the cervical rib.

Venous and arterial TOS are sometimes referred to as vascular TOS.

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome: Subclavian veins are compressed, often causing blood clots.

This causes finger tingling and weakness or fatigue in the neck, shoulders, and arms. A network of nerves called the brachial plexus which lead from the spinal cord to the neck and arms is constricted.

Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome: Neurogenic TOS is the most common type of TOS.

This is the area between the clavicle (collarbone) and first rib. TOS refers to the conditions caused by blood vessel and nerve compression occurring within the thoracic outlet. Quality sleep consisting of factors such as sleep latency (time it takes to fall asleep), sleep duration, and frequency of waking is vital to healthy living.įor those with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), such quality sleep could be disrupted due to the discomfort it causes. A good night’s rest is key to feeling refreshed and ready for a day of productivity.

Thoracic outlet syndrome pillow